Saving The Environment, One Download At A Time?

Peter and I joked about how we were pushing electrons and thus saving gas when we skyped for our last tHAWT.  On a related note (ahem), ponder this (via Bouphonia):

Downloading 56 minutes of music is more than two and a half times less resource intensive than going to a shop to buy a CD, even if the music is burnt on to a CD-R

That made me feel good about using iTunes!  However, a commenter over at WorldChanging notes:

At first I bought into the same kind of thinking with paper - why use paper, when I can haul around documents on my laptop? After all, my laptop weighs the same whether the hard drive is empty or full. And surely I was saving the environment by not cutting down all those trees, right?

Now I'm not so sure.

The reason? A recent UN report that found that 1.8 tons of raw material is required in the manufacture of the average computer. Looking at the report, they only consider the impact for the purpose of obtaining the music - but what about playing the music back? What about social pattern differences that result once people start using computers? For example: how many people just leave their computers on all the time now? Wouldn't it be better to have a CD sitting on the shelf (ie: not consuming power) than having a computer running all the time, awaiting the moment a user decides to play back their digital files?

The report text itself points out that the material intensity data is of low quality, so I think this report has to be taken with a grain of salt. While the activity of getting music itself might be proven to be more "environmental", the larger impact of computers, built from highly toxic and difficult to separate materials can not be discounted.

From where I sit, however, the downloading of music isn't making me use my computer or keep it on all the time--or maybe it's just not the only factor.  Anyway, computers ain't going away, so if downloading music can reduce our impact on the environment a tad, what's not to like?

ntodd

Published Friday, September 15, 2006 6:52 PM by ntodd
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Comments

# re: Saving The Environment, One Download At A Time? @ Saturday, September 16, 2006 7:48 AM

Interesting, I was just thinking the same thing the other day, though more from the point that if I d/l music, I don't need a CD, which saves money and is easier on the environment. I've changed my mind a bit.

This isn't a rant about iTunes - for the most part, I think it's a great idea and I'm a generally satisfied customer.  Unfortunately, the DRM aspect of iTunes mp4's forces me to get a CD, anyway, if the file is to be of any practical use to me, i.e., for podcasting, file backup or moving the music from one device to another.  The fact that I can't convert to mp3 without burning an audio disc first puts me right back to the starting point and the net impact on the environment hasn't been improved at all.  In fact, the only way to back up the files, not having an iPod, is to burn them to disc.  Personally, I think that's pretty wasteful for such a cutting edge technology/business model.

Of course, this issue is specific to iTunes' DRM practice.  In the general sense, I agree with your philosophy on digital music, and I'll continue to d/l as much as I can and avoid physical CDs.

Ripley

# re: Saving The Environment, One Download At A Time? @ Saturday, September 16, 2006 8:50 AM

Actually, Ripley, you can get audio hijacking software to electronically record your DRMd music.  For the Mac, use Audio Hijack, freeware.  For the PC, uh...not sure what's available for free, but there are equivalent products.

Basically it's like tape dubbing: you fire up the hijack software, play your tune through whatever music program you've got, and the audio is captured.  Of course, my personal casts aren't podsafe, but it's part of my conscious civil disobedience.  I've paid for my product, and I have a right to use it any way I want, DRM be damned!

A note to RIAA: the Hill Associates podcasts are, in contrast,  perfectly legal because we wouldn't want my paycheck to be threatened, would we?

ntodd

# re: Saving The Environment, One Download At A Time? @ Saturday, September 16, 2006 9:18 AM

I have JHymn, which was working like a charm until I upgraded iTunes.  I suppose I'll have to find something else.

As for RIAA and user/purchaser rights, I agree 100%.  My podcasts aren't podsafe, either, but I'm not producing them to make money and, frankly, RIAA should be sending us flowers for the free advertising we provide.  

I don't know if you've ever checked out MagnaTunes (I have no affiliation), but they actually encourage people to use their artists' music in podcasts and will provide free mp3s for podcast use.  

Ripley

# re: Saving The Environment, One Download At A Time? @ Saturday, September 16, 2006 9:34 AM

Ah, those crafty jerks!  Well, I haven't upgraded iTunes on either my PC or my Mac in a long time, and maybe now I won't (at least until forced to).  But I'm sure the hijack programmers will find a workaround.  It's all rather foolish.

And thanks for the tip on MagnaTunes.  I will check it out!

ntodd